Author Note: This chapter was a tad difficult to write, hence the week it took to get out. I was on a roll with the two-chapters-in-a-day thing, too. I have a feeling we are almost to the end, but who knows what the plot-bunnies have in store for me. They didn't even tell me about the flashback until I started writing it!
Remember, we writers live on reviews! Kisses!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*STORY*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione settled back into Draco's arms and felt him relax as she returned Severus' stare. "May I have some water? And then would someone please tell me what has happened?" At this point, all she could remember was dismissing her last class, and then that nightmare. She did not like how concerned everyone seemed to be. In her peripheral she saw Ginny going for water, and watched as Severus took a deep breath before he spoke.
"Hermione, you had a flashback. A fairly serious one, as Draco and I had to give you a sleeping draught because we couldn't calm you down." Hermione couldn't help the confusion that passed over her features as Severus gently explained the afternoon to her. Something was still off though. While she hadn't had a flashback in almost two months, there had never been one that Severus alone couldn't handle.
"Do we know why you couldn't handle this flashback, Sev? I mean, what triggered it?" Hermione didn't miss the glances exchanged around her. Now, she understood why everyone was being so careful, treating her as if she were a bomb that would go off with the slightest wrong move. They didn't know what happened, but Severus and Draco, at least, had an idea.
Draco spoke up from behind her, and a smooth and even tone. "What do you remember about this afternoon, Hermi? Start with when you dismissed your last class. We already know there were no issues before that."
Hermione thought about her last class, and clearly remembered dismissing the 7th year Slytherins and Ravenclaws. She had given them some assignment on the telly. "I have the Ravenclaw and Slytherin 7th years for my last class today. Nothing was wrong when I dismissed the class, and I went into my office. I had decided to go up and see Ginny. I remember that I had wanted to ask if she would join me at Hogsmeade before we went to see her Mum for tea this Saturday." Hermione's brow crinkled with her confusion. She remembered thinking about it, but she didn't remember ever making it to the infirmary. Why?
"I didn't make it to the infirmary. I know that. I don't really even remember leaving my office – just having the thought, and then I remember having a nightmare and waking up here. I don't..." Hermione kept thinking about it, trying to remember.
*~*~*~*~*POV Shift*~*~*~*~*
Severus well knew the signs of Hermione on the verge of a panic attack. She was pushing herself to remember, and something in her mind was protecting her from it. "Hermione, I want you stop thinking for a moment." He gave her a small smile when she looked at him with such confusion. "We need to find out if it is magic blocking your memory, or just your mind. If it isn't magic, we'd like for you to put the memories in the Pensive. I fear if you keep pushing yourself, you'll just trigger another flashback. If we put in the Pensive, someone will be able to go with you."
He saw the confusion clear from her eyes, and she gave him an affirmative nod. "Could you and Draco come with me?" Severus met Draco's eyes over her shoulder, and the both whispered their agreement.
"Albus? Would you check for spells?" Severus watched as Albus slowly approached, keeping eye contact with Hermione.
"My dear, I'm going to need to place my hands on your face. I am afraid this means I am going to need to borrow Severus' seat. Now, nothing will hurt, but if there is magic playing a roll, then you may experience the blocked memories as I find it. I want you to remember where you are, and who is here with you. Alright?" As the headmaster spoke, Severus moved from in front of her, to her side, kneeling on the floor. He kept her hands in his and he watched as Draco tightened around her. Severus could feel the tremble in her hands, and he fervently hoped that it was just the inherent magic of the mind protecting Hermione. He much preferred they figure out what happened using the Pensive. That, at least, would allow Draco and himself to help her through it, and perhaps avoid another flashback or nightmare.
Severus watched Albus and Hermione very carefully as they both sat with their eyes closed. The longer they went without Hermione showing signs of stress, the more convinced he was that it was her mind's natural defense mechanism blocking the memories. Soon enough, Albus opened his eyes and confirmed Severus' suspicions with a shake of his head. Severus quickly moved back to his former seat, once Albus stood.
"Hermione, there is no magic affecting your memories in any way. I believe your mind is just blocking the experience. Even if you can't access them, we will be able to find out exactly what happened by putting those memories in the Pensive. Do you remember the charm?" His Hermione opened her eyes and immediately sought out his own.
"Yes Professor. I sometimes use a pensive to help with my research. Sometimes it can help me see what I missed the first time around." Albus nodded at Hermione's explanation, and Severus had to smile. Ms. Know-it-all Granger would use a Pensive for research. Looking over Hermione's shoulder, Severus shared an amused smile with Draco. That was their girl.
*~*~*~*~*POV Shift*~*~*~*~*
Hermione took a deep breath as the headmaster set the Pensive on the table in front of her. She took her hands from Severus and disentangled herself from Draco's arms. It was no wonder she was getting a headache, apparently it had been an eventful day, and certainly not in the good way. She prepared to cast the spell as she caught sight of the clock. "Albus, shouldn't you be in the Great Hall for dinner? Certainly, this is no reason to alarm the students with your absence?" Hermione could remember that during her own school years, the only time Albus had been absent from the head table during dinner had been that unfortunate period of time in which Lucius Malfoy had strong-armed the school directors into suspending him, and of course when that dreadful woman-in-pink appointed by the ministry came and took over.
She saw Albus nod thoughtfully, and she did catch the look he threw to Ginny. "I do believe you are quite right, my dear. I will return here immediately after dinner to see how you are doing." Hermione, however, did not catch the look the headmaster threw to Severus, or Severus' slight nod. No, Hermione was already focused on the Pensive, and the memories and time period she needed to put into the shimmering silver liquid swirling around in the pewter bowl. Concentrating as she was, she also missed Ginny slipping out with the headmaster.
After a few minutes, Hermione felt she had a grip on the appropriate memories, unaccessible though they were. Casting the charm, Hermione pulled the memory away from her mind like a stream of light, and gently deposited it in the Pensive. With a deep breath, she turned to her men.
*~*~*~*~*POV Shift*~*~*~*~*
Draco held his breath as Hermione completed the Pensive charm. He almost didn't want to do this. He was still finishing up the last of his cases at the auror office while Severus was here, dealing with the first round of her flashbacks. That was difficult enough, he knew. Though Draco himself had been a part of the team that had gone in to release the other women Hermione's rapists had kidnapped and kept, and he had seen the conditions of both the environment and the women themselves, they were now going to have to go through a flashback with her. Given the nature of the Pensive, it was possible they would see the memories she, herself, experienced.
Draco had an idea about how he and Severus would handle that. With rage; absolute, all consuming, impotent rage. It would be hard to swallow, Draco knew. He had already done all that could be done about the culprits, and still remain within the bounds of the law. As muggles, the Ministry demanded they be dealt with by the muggle authorities. Although, that hadn't stopped the auror office from collecting the necessary proof and handing both that and the men themselves over to the muggle police. The muggles assumed that the women had suppressed their memories, rather than the obliviations that had actually been done. They couldn't have done that to Hermione. As a witch, she would eventually figure out she had been oblivated. As Hermione, she wouldn't have accepted that solution, and wouldn't have stopped until the memories were unlocked and she had to live through it all a second time.
*~*~*~*~*POV Shift*~*~*~*~*
Severus kept his eyes on Hermione as he paced the room opposite Draco. When Hermione leaned back on the couch with a sigh and closed her eyes, he immediately took his place at her side. Draco was quick to join them. If only to himself, Severus could admit that he loved them both. He refused to allow himself to think further than that. He knew Hermione wasn't at all ready for any kind of intimate relationship, if it were even possible that she would have such feelings for him. He did see the affection she held for Draco, and it was rather bittersweet.
He assumed that eventually they would end up together, and it was little comfort to know that they would take care of each other. It would leave him out. However selfish it was, he wanted to savor this closeness the three of them shared. Eventually, Hermione would stop needing him, and he couldn't help but hope in a small part of his mind that this would last. Even if he hated himself for it, because it meant that Hermione was not healing.
They sat in silent comfort, until Hermione was ready to open her eyes. Severus felt a light squeeze to his hand before Hermione straightened and opened her eyes. She let out a short, nervous laugh on exhale, and met both his and Draco's eyes in turn. Severus could see how nervous she was.
"Hermi, Severus and I will be with you the entire time. We will not leave your side. Whatever triggered this, you aren't facing it a second time alone." Draco knelt in front of Hermione, taking her hands from him. "I'd love to give you all the time you needed, but we need to find out..." Severus watched as Hermione interrupted Draco, piecing together what they had already guessed.
"You think it was an attack, and we need to find out who it was so it doesn't happen again. To me, or anyone else." Severus smiled, that was his Ms. Know-it-all. It was a bit confounding how that affectation changed from the disdain used in her early school years to such an affectionate nickname. They all stood, and Severus took one of Hermione's hands while Draco took the other.
"Ready Hermione?" Severus spoke, and watched as Hermione took on last deep breath before nodding. With that, the three of them entered the Pensive.
The three of them landed in Hermione's office, and watched as she put her papers from her class away. Severus noticed that a Ravenclaw was on top of the pile of essays she put aside to grade later that night. She appeared to be in a good mood as she left the office. It quickly became apparent that she was heading to the hospital wing. She had been right in thinking that she had wanted to go see Ginny.
"The next corridor is where I found Hermione." Draco spoke in a harsh whisper, despite the fact that nothing they could do would affect the memory. Severus studied Hermione for a moment, and found that her brow was wrinkled in concentration. He squeezed her hand and gave her a reassuring smile when she looked up at him. Once she gave him a small smile in return, he tugged on her hand to pull them along, to catch up with memory-Hermione.
Severus spotted Flint coming down the hallway from the opposite way they approached. He felt anger welling up in his heart, and could barely stand to find out what he had actually done. He met Draco's eyes, and knew Draco had also quickly figured out that Tobias Flint had caused Hermione's flashback. "Professor Granger! I'm glad I caught you! I had a question about tonights homework, if you have a moment?"
It was easy to see that Hermione was nervous, and Severus was well aware that was because she was still uncomfortable being alone with any male that was not himself or Draco. They watched as he asked about his assignment, and listened to Hermione's explanation of the television. Both men noticed immediately that Flint was deliberately cornering Hermione. They also felt as their Hermione tightened her grip on them, the further the memory progressed.
"If that is all, Mr. Flint, I really must be going." Severus and Draco simultaneously moved to wrap their arms around her. The three of them were wrapped tightly together as they watched Tobias Fling assault Hermione, watched her disappear into those memories.
"Now, Professor, that's not what you really want, now is it?" Severus and Draco both tightened their fists as Flint attempted a seductive tone. Hermione had buried her face in Severus' chest as she pulled Draco close to her back. She was trembling as badly as memory-hermione was.
"Now Professor, you've been flirting with me all term. Surely you aren't going to play coy now. We are alone, you don't have to pretend!" Severus felt as if he could breath fire as Flint continued to ignore Hermione's refusals, continued to ignore the obvious distress she was in. Having seen it before, he could see that she was already in the grips of the kind of flashbacks she had experienced initially.
Severus watched as Flint leaned forward and kissed his Hermione, and only Draco's firm grip on the back of his neck from around Hermione kept him from leaping in, despite the fact that it was only a memory. He came back to himself as the Hermione in his arms whimpered and tried to get closer to him, despite the fact that she was as close to him as she could get with clothes still in the way. They watched as an uncontrolled burst of magic blew Flint down the hall. He managed to gain his feet and, with fear in his eyes, take off down the hallway. That was why Draco hadn't seen him when he responded to the scream memory-hermione was now letting out. They watched as she ran straight into Draco, and Severus saw a bit of the fight that had given the blond his initial wounds.
Both men let out a sigh of relief as the memory let them go, and sent them all back out of the Pensive. Almost without realizing it, Severus and Draco ended up side by side on the couch, a sobbing Hermione in their laps. Severus managed to check the time, and saw that it would be only a few minutes before dinner ended, and only a few after that that Dumbledore and Ginny would return.
Severus was gently rubbing circles on her back, and Draco was running his fingers through her hair. They were both whispering assurances to her, and Severus noticed how effortless it was for Draco and himself to complement each other in care of their Hermione. Despite the rather serious situation, he allowed himself a brief moment to wish that they could build a life, the three of them.
*~*~*~*~*POV Shift*~*~*~*~*
Albus knocked on the portal to Severus' rooms, and listened for his invitation. Ginny stood waiting with him, and she was not hiding her concern and nerves nearly as well as he. Of course, old man that he was, he'd had much more practice. He was, however, grateful to say he'd never needed to deal with a situation quite like this one.
Rape was one crime that was much less prevalent in the wizarding world than in the muggle. Less strong-willed victims had experienced a fundamental break from their magic after such an invasion. The perpetrator's own magic most often turned on them, either driving wizard rapists insane, or simply departing from them to leave them little more than a squib. Years past, such as the times in his own youth, witches rarely went into the muggle world alone. They would either have an escort, or would travel with a group of their friends. But that was more than a hundred years ago, and times had changed.
More recently, witches that had been born in the wizarding world would use their wands, and muggle-borns would be aware of the danger and avoid such situations. That wasn't to say that Hermione was any less capable, situations like this had a way of happening regardless of any precautions. It hurt his heart that this had happened to anyone, never mind such a wonderfully bright witch.
He heard Severus' entreaty, and entered his quarters, Ginny following close behind. He knew that she wanted to be present to support her friend, though when he saw the occupants, he suspected that she was not needed. Hermione was across both men's laps, yet somehow curled up, and fast asleep. Neither man looked in any particular rush to change the arrangement. In fact, Draco had managed to slip one arm around the back of the couch, and was rubbing Severus' neck. Albus didn't blame him, as his Potion Master did appear rather furious.
"What did you find out dear boys?" Albus himself stood across from the trio on the couch, while Ginny had taken a seat in the armchair. He knew they had found out that there was indeed some sort of attack, just by looking at the rage in either man's eyes. Unfortunately, he needed the details before he could appropriately take care of the offending party.
"Tobias Flint sexually assaulted Hermione." From the icy in Severus', he knew that was all the man would say. Unfortunately he needed more details. Before he could ask, Draco spoke up.
"Before she fell asleep, we managed to get Hermione's permission for you to view the memory, to get any details you need. As Severus is his head-of-house, we know the punishment would usually be under his jurisdiction, but given the situation we feel that it would be better if you took care of this one yourself, Albus."
Albus nodded his agreement. "I believe that is a wise decision Severus, Draco." He picked up the Pensive and moved to the door. "I think we will just leave you for the evening. Please let Hermione know that if necessary, we can cancel her classes until Monday."
"Thank you Albus. Before you go, could you tell us what you believe will be done with Flint?" Severus asked him a question he had hoped to put off. Albus allowed himself a sigh before he answered.
"He will, of course, be expelled. As you know, a crime of this nature is taken very seriously in our world. It will have to be reported to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Given the particulars of the situation, the trial will be a closed one in which Veritaserum will be administered in front of the Wizengamot. It is possible that he would be sentenced to Azkaban, though it is more likely they would break his wand. Either way, he will not be a threat to Hermione anymore." With that answer, Severus' attention turned back to the woman in his arms and the hand on his neck.
Albus watched the three of them for a moment before motioning to Ginny. He sincerely hoped the three of them figured things out, they were so good for each other.